Re: Leeks, I plan to grow them!

CapeCoddess 5/7/2015, 2:32 pm

camprn wrote:I have posted this video before but I cannot find the post.This is the method I used last year , quite successfully, to transplant my leek seedlings. Worked like a charm!

I love this video. Easy peasy! I''d like to plant my leeks out this weekend and I want to do it just like that but need to know a little bit more about continued care. Do you dribble the water in every time that you water them? Or can they be watered with the rose watering can end? How often should they be watered? Willl a broom handle or other such item be an acceptable substitute for a proper dibble? Are leeks ok with part shade?
CC

johnp 5/8/2015, 9:51 am

I have tried that method for the past two years and MM just fills the holes, even when you pour water very carefully. I tried again last week but the holes just fill up. Last year the leeks turned out fine, at least for me, so I just let em grow.

yolos 5/8/2015, 10:17 am

I used that method when I planted my leeks last fall. My holes also filled up with MM after about 2 waterings. They turned out fine though. Except, I did not have as much tender white at the bottom as I have seen in the stores. But still worked good. For a dibble, I used an old hoe handle.

CapeCoddess 5/8/2015, 3:47 pm

Thanks, folks. That was very helpful. I won't freak out when the MM fills in the holes, and I'll use my fattest handle for a dibble. And maybe go down 8 inches for more white part.

CC

nosmok 5/16/2015, 10:06 pm

I've been watching my American Flag leeks climb into the sky and about to burst into flowers. I find the contorting, twisting stems very beautiful to watch. Is there any problem waiting to harvest them after they flower?

**camprn** 5/17/2015, 7:11 am

My recommendation, Cut the flowerstalls off most of them, those leeks you will be eating. Leave a few flowers for the pollinators and you will have seed for next years leeks.

Lavender Debs 5/17/2015, 9:34 am

nosmok wrote:...snip... Is there any problem waiting to harvest them after they flower?

The number one problem I have had with flowering leeks is that the stem of the flower goes all the way to the center of the plant (down to the roots) and is as tough as wood. It made the plant useless for winter. If I cut the flower stalk and left the plant a new leek would develop from the roots, often right inside of the outer leaves, and it was stove-pan worthy, just moon shaped and often small, but still a use-able leek.

Debs... who believes that all is not lost but a blue ribbon at the fair is out.... but your fellow gardeners will still celebrate your garden to table success!

**camprn** 5/17/2015, 10:41 am

Lavender Debs wrote:

Debs... who believes that all is not lost but a blue ribbon at the fair is out.... but your fellow gardeners will still celebrate your garden to table success!

+1

Yardslave 5/17/2015, 11:58 am

I like to whack most of the tops off before the buds break open and cook them up- they are a rare treat. I only have to leave one or two leeks go to seed for next season. Here's a link LOOK HERE

CapeCoddess 5/17/2015, 12:23 pm

Great info at that link, Yardslave. Thank you!

CC

**camprn** 8/13/2015, 7:13 pm

The leeks are going gangbusters.
Leeks, I plan to grow them! - Page 3 11900018_10206143132072135_4079383269796066707_n

http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/growing-leeks.html

**donnainzone5** 8/13/2015, 9:14 pm

From seed? When did you plant them?

**camprn** 8/14/2015, 12:11 am

donnainzone10 wrote:From seed? When did you plant them?

Sown end of February, transplanted end of April.

**sanderson** 8/14/2015, 12:54 am

6" spacing?

**camprn** 8/14/2015, 1:14 am

sanderson wrote:6" spacing?

something like that. I eyeballed it. Wink

yolos 8/14/2015, 9:33 am

In an earlier post on this thread, Plantoid mentioned using corrugated cardboard wrapped around the leek when planted to keep the dirt from getting into the leaves. What if they were planted inside a toilet paper or paper towel tube. I realize the tube won't hold up long, but would that help initially to keep the dirt out of the stems.

**camprn** 8/14/2015, 12:00 pm

I've found this to not work very well and not worth the effort.

CapeCoddess 8/14/2015, 12:23 pm

First time growing leeks, King Richard variety. From seed, 9/sq, seedlings buried about 8 inches, looked good a month ago: Leeks, I plan to grow them! - Page 3 05610

Leeks, I plan to grow them! - Page 3 05610

Bigger and kinda falling all over now.

When do we get to eat them???
CC

**camprn** 8/14/2015, 1:02 pm

You can start harvesting them as foon as they are as big around as your finger. Dont pull on them, lift a little from under the roots and then give each leek slow, gentle traction to release it from the soil.

**Scorpio Rising** 8/14/2015, 6:16 pm

Kinda fussy little things aren't they? I never knew all this, thought they were big mild onions, which I guess they are....interesting!

Yardslave 8/14/2015, 7:36 pm

I left a few of my leeks go to seed and when they finally dried on the stalks, I noticed that there were big bulbs left at the base- kind of looked like elephant garlic. I've plans to plant these, as they are showing signs of greening up on their tips, much the same as any other allium. Has anyone tried to cook with these? Also, is it better to just go ahead and plant these out- sort of like garlic cloves, in hopes of a selectively better generation of leek. Or just plant the seeds and wait.

**camprn** 8/14/2015, 10:44 pm

Yardslave wrote:I left a few of my leeks go to seed and when they finally dried on the stalks, I noticed that there were big bulbs left at the base- kind of looked like elephant garlic. I've plans to plant these, as they are showing signs of greening up on their tips, much the same as any other allium. Has anyone tried to cook with these? Also, is it better to just go ahead and plant these out- sort of like garlic cloves, in hopes of a selectively better generation of leek. Or just plant the seeds and wait.

I would just harvest the seeds for later planting and leave the bulb in place.

**camprn** 8/16/2015, 6:27 pm

Trimmed to promote more growth.

Leeks, I plan to grow them! - Page 3 11903804_10206160722631888_350022789870984431_n

CapeCoddess 8/17/2015, 4:29 pm

Aha...good idea. Will do. It will sure make watering easier.
CC

Yardslave 8/17/2015, 4:53 pm

Glad you brought up trimming. I hadn't thought of doing it to leeks, I have only used this method to force onion bulbs to increase in size.

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